Endangered
Definition
Endangered is an IUCN Red List category indicating a species faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Among penguins, the African penguin and the yellow-eyed penguin are currently classified as Endangered. To qualify, a species must meet strict criteria related to population decline (at least 50-70% over three generations), small geographic range, or a total population below 2,500 mature individuals. The Endangered designation triggers conservation action plans and often increases funding and legal protections.
Related Terms
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the conservation status of plant and animal species, maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Conservation status is a classification assigned to a species based on its extinction risk, most commonly using the IUCN Red List categories: Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, and Extinct.
Population trend describes whether a species is increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown over a defined time period, typically three generations.
Related Species
Species where endangered is especially relevant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does endangered mean in penguin biology?
Endangered is an IUCN Red List category indicating a species faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Among penguins, the African penguin and the yellow-eyed penguin are currently classified as Endangered. To qualify, a species must meet strict criteria related to population decline (at least 50-70% over three generations), small geographic range, or a total population below 2,500 mature individuals. The Endangered designation triggers conservation action plans and often increases funding and legal protections.
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Glossary entries define the language. FAQ answers common questions; guides carry the longer Survival Lab arguments.
More in conservationWhere this definition comes from
Reference bodies behind the conservation terminology. Links last checked August 5, 2026.
- IUCN Red List - Global conservation assessments and extinction-risk categories.
- BirdLife Data Zone - Species accounts, distribution, and population summaries.
- SANCCOB - African penguin rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation context.